Nigeria, a booming luxury private jet market

Sep 17, 2012

Gulf Stream G650

Private jet ownership in Nigeria has grown by 650 per cent, from 20 jets in 2007 to over 150 jets in 2012, as reported by PunchNG.com. According to documents sighted in aviation agencies, the development means that wealthy Nigerians acquired, at least, 130 private jets with a sum of US$ 6.5 billion within the last five years.

Preferred brands of private jets in Nigeria include Gulfstream 450, 550 and 650; Bombardier Challenger 604, 605; Global Express; Embraer Legacy and Falcons; and Hawker Siddley 125-800 and 900XP. Top aviation officials indicate that Nigeria currently rivalled China as one of the two fastest growing private jet markets in the world.

A top official of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, who asked not to be named, said representatives of the owners of the private jets on order had already notified the agency about the order. This, he said, was necessary for the purpose of registering the aircraft in Nigeria. According to him, some of the private jets also come with foreign registration credentials.

The Managing Director of Aero Airlines, Captain Akin George, had recently commented on the increasing number of private jets being parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. He particularly lamented the fact that most of the private jets carried foreign registration credentials. He had subsequently called on the authorities concerned in the country to make registration processes in Nigeria friendly and attractive.

Bombardier Business Aircraft Sales Manager Robert Habjanic, told PunchNG.com that Nigeria was the company’s largest market in Africa, with about 35 Bombardier-made business aircraft currently flying its airspace. He also confirmed that “private business in Nigeria has been growing tremendously in the last five years.”